System with a gantry of a computed tomography device and a docking station and method for cooling a component of the gantry

ABSTRACT

A system with a gantry of a computed tomography device and a docking station and method are for cooling a component of the gantry. In an embodiment, the system includes a gantry of a computed tomography device, the gantry including a chassis and a heat store; and a docking station. The gantry is movable via the chassis relative to the docking station. The gantry and the docking station are detachably connectable to one another such that a detachable coolant-exchange connection for exchanging a coolant and/or a detachable heat-conduction connection for heat conduction is formed between the heat store and the docking station.

PRIORITY STATEMENT

The present application hereby claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 toGerman patent application number DE 102018216751.6 filed Sep. 28, 2018,the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a system with a gantryof a computed tomography device and a docking station and a method forcooling a component of the gantry.

BACKGROUND

A computed tomography device with a mobile gantry can in particular beused in hygienically sensitive areas, for example in operating rooms. Asfar as possible in the hygienically sensitive areas it is in particularnecessary to avoid cooling of the gantry which is substantially based onheated air flowing out of the gantry into the examination room. Inaddition, both the cooling and the electrical energy supply for themobile gantry should be embodied such that, independently of electricalterminals, it is possible to acquire as many items of projection data aspossible without this entailing any significant impairment of thequality of the projection data.

SUMMARY

At least one embodiment of the invention provides improved cooling of amobile gantry of a computed tomography device. The claims relate tofurther advantageous embodiments and aspects of the invention.

At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a system comprising:

a gantry of a computed tomography device, wherein the gantry comprises achassis and a heat store; and

a docking station,

the gantry being movable via the chassis relative to the dockingstation, and the gantry and the docking station being connectable, andin particular are connected, detachably to one another such that adetachable coolant-exchange connection for exchanging a coolant and/or acoolant reservoir and/or a detachable heat-conduction connection forheat conduction is formed between the heat store and the dockingstation.

At least one embodiment of the invention further relates to a systemcomprising:

a gantry of a computed tomography device, the gantry including a chassisand a heat store; and

a docking station,

the gantry being movable, via the chassis, relative to the dockingstation, and

the gantry and the docking station being detachably connectable suchthat at least one of a detachable coolant-exchange connection forexchanging a coolant, a coolant reservoir and a detachableheat-conduction connection for heat conduction is formed between theheat store and the docking station.

At least one embodiment of the invention further relates to a method forcooling a component of a gantry of a computed tomography device, whereinthe method includes:

cooling the component of the gantry, wherein heat is received in a heatstore, which is integrated in the gantry,

moving the gantry via a chassis relative to a docking station,

connecting the gantry and the docking station detachably to one anothersuch that a detachable coolant-exchange connection for exchanging acoolant and/or a coolant reservoir and/or a detachable heat-conductionconnection for heat conduction is formed between the heat store and thedocking station.

At least one embodiment of the invention further relates to a method forcooling a component of a gantry of a computed tomography device, themethod comprising:

cooling the component of the gantry, wherein heat is received in a heatstore integrated in the gantry;

moving the gantry, via a chassis, relative to a docking station; and

connecting the gantry and the docking station, detachably, such that adetachable coolant-exchange connection, for at least one of exchanging acoolant, a coolant reservoir, and a detachable heat-conductionconnection for heat conduction, is formed between the heat store and thedocking station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following describes the invention with reference to the exampleembodiments and with reference to the appended figures. The depiction inthe figures is schematic, greatly simplified and not necessarily true toscale.

The figures show:

FIG. 1 a system with a coolant store and a detachable coolant-exchangeconnection between the gantry and the docking station,

FIG. 2 a system with a coolant store, a detachable coolant-exchangeconnection between the gantry and the docking station and a heat sink,

FIG. 3 a system with a coolant store, a detachable coolant-exchangeconnection between the gantry and the docking station for exchanging acoolant and a coolant reservoir,

FIG. 4 a system with a latent heat store and a detachableheat-conduction connection,

FIG. 5 a system with a sorption-heat store and a detachableheat-conduction connection,

FIG. 6 a system with a heat store and a heat sink, wherein the gantryand the docking station are not connected via a detachablecoolant-exchange connection,

FIG. 7 a sequence diagram of a method for cooling a component of agantry of a computed tomography device,

FIG. 8 a system with a plurality of docking stations, which are arrangedin different rooms,

FIG. 9 a system with a plurality of docking stations, which are arrangedin different rooms, wherein a docking station is integrated in apatient-support apparatus,

FIG. 10 a system with a docking station, which is arranged in adocking-station room located between two rooms,

FIG. 11 a system with a docking station, which is arranged in adocking-station room embodied as separate plant room that can only bereached via the corridor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The drawings are to be regarded as being schematic representations andelements illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily shown to scale.Rather, the various elements are represented such that their functionand general purpose become apparent to a person skilled in the art. Anyconnection or coupling between functional blocks, devices, components,or other physical or functional units shown in the drawings or describedherein may also be implemented by an indirect connection or coupling. Acoupling between components may also be established over a wirelessconnection. Functional blocks may be implemented in hardware, firmware,software, or a combination thereof.

Various example embodiments will now be described more fully withreference to the accompanying drawings in which only some exampleembodiments are shown. Specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein are merely representative for purposes of describingexample embodiments. Example embodiments, however, may be embodied invarious different forms, and should not be construed as being limited toonly the illustrated embodiments. Rather, the illustrated embodimentsare provided as examples so that this disclosure will be thorough andcomplete, and will fully convey the concepts of this disclosure to thoseskilled in the art. Accordingly, known processes, elements, andtechniques, may not be described with respect to some exampleembodiments. Unless otherwise noted, like reference characters denotelike elements throughout the attached drawings and written description,and thus descriptions will not be repeated. The present invention,however, may be embodied in many alternate forms and should not beconstrued as limited to only the example embodiments set forth herein.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. maybe used herein to describe various elements, components, regions,layers, and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers,and/or sections, should not be limited by these terms. These terms areonly used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a firstelement could be termed a second element, and, similarly, a secondelement could be termed a first element, without departing from thescope of example embodiments of the present invention. As used herein,the term “and/or,” includes any and all combinations of one or more ofthe associated listed items. The phrase “at least one of” has the samemeaning as “and/or”.

Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “under,”“above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease ofdescription to describe one element or feature's relationship to anotherelement(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will beunderstood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompassdifferent orientations of the device in use or operation in addition tothe orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device inthe figures is turned over, elements described as “below,” “beneath,” or“under,” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” theother elements or features. Thus, the example terms “below” and “under”may encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may beotherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and thespatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Inaddition, when an element is referred to as being “between” twoelements, the element may be the only element between the two elements,or one or more other intervening elements may be present.

Spatial and functional relationships between elements (for example,between modules) are described using various terms, including“connected,” “engaged,” “interfaced,” and “coupled.” Unless explicitlydescribed as being “direct,” when a relationship between first andsecond elements is described in the above disclosure, that relationshipencompasses a direct relationship where no other intervening elementsare present between the first and second elements, and also an indirectrelationship where one or more intervening elements are present (eitherspatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. Incontrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly” connected,engaged, interfaced, or coupled to another element, there are nointervening elements present. Other words used to describe therelationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion(e.g., “between,” versus “directly between,” “adjacent,” versus“directly adjacent,” etc.).

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of exampleembodiments of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,”“an,” and “the,” are intended to include the plural forms as well,unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, theterms “and/or” and “at least one of” include any and all combinations ofone or more of the associated listed items. It will be furtherunderstood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or“including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features,integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do notpreclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groupsthereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and allcombinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Expressionssuch as “at least one of,” when preceding a list of elements, modify theentire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of thelist. Also, the term “example” is intended to refer to an example orillustration.

When an element is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” “coupledto,” or “adjacent to,” another element, the element may be directly on,connected to, coupled to, or adjacent to, the other element, or one ormore other intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when anelement is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,”“directly coupled to,” or “immediately adjacent to,” another elementthere are no intervening elements present.

It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, thefunctions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures.For example, two figures shown in succession may in fact be executedsubstantially concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverseorder, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. Itwill be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonlyused dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art andwill not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unlessexpressly so defined herein.

Before discussing example embodiments in more detail, it is noted thatsome example embodiments may be described with reference to acts andsymbolic representations of operations (e.g., in the form of flowcharts, flow diagrams, data flow diagrams, structure diagrams, blockdiagrams, etc.) that may be implemented in conjunction with units and/ordevices discussed in more detail below. Although discussed in aparticularly manner, a function or operation specified in a specificblock may be performed differently from the flow specified in aflowchart, flow diagram, etc. For example, functions or operationsillustrated as being performed serially in two consecutive blocks mayactually be performed simultaneously, or in some cases be performed inreverse order. Although the flowcharts describe the operations assequential processes, many of the operations may be performed inparallel, concurrently or simultaneously. In addition, the order ofoperations may be re-arranged. The processes may be terminated whentheir operations are completed, but may also have additional steps notincluded in the figure. The processes may correspond to methods,functions, procedures, subroutines, subprograms, etc.

Specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merelyrepresentative for purposes of describing example embodiments of thepresent invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in manyalternate forms and should not be construed as limited to only theembodiments set forth herein.

Units and/or devices according to one or more example embodiments may beimplemented using hardware, software, and/or a combination thereof. Forexample, hardware devices may be implemented using processing circuitrysuch as, but not limited to, a processor, Central Processing Unit (CPU),a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signalprocessor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), aSystem-on-Chip (SoC), a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, orany other device capable of responding to and executing instructions ina defined manner. Portions of the example embodiments and correspondingdetailed description may be presented in terms of software, oralgorithms and symbolic representations of operation on data bits withina computer memory. These descriptions and representations are the onesby which those of ordinary skill in the art effectively convey thesubstance of their work to others of ordinary skill in the art. Analgorithm, as the term is used here, and as it is used generally, isconceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desiredresult. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physicalquantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take theform of optical, electrical, or magnetic signals capable of beingstored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. Ithas proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage,to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols,characters, terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unlessspecifically stated otherwise, or as is apparent from the discussion,terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or“determining” of “displaying” or the like, refer to the action andprocesses of a computer system, or similar electronic computingdevice/hardware, that manipulates and transforms data represented asphysical, electronic quantities within the computer system's registersand memories into other data similarly represented as physicalquantities within the computer system memories or registers or othersuch information storage, transmission or display devices.

In this application, including the definitions below, the term ‘module’or the term ‘controller’ may be replaced with the term ‘circuit.’ Theterm ‘module’ may refer to, be part of, or include processor hardware(shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code and memory hardware(shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processorhardware.

The module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples,the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces that areconnected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide areanetwork (WAN), or combinations thereof. The functionality of any givenmodule of the present disclosure may be distributed among multiplemodules that are connected via interface circuits. For example, multiplemodules may allow load balancing. In a further example, a server (alsoknown as remote, or cloud) module may accomplish some functionality onbehalf of a client module.

Software may include a computer program, program code, instructions, orsome combination thereof, for independently or collectively instructingor configuring a hardware device to operate as desired. The computerprogram and/or program code may include program or computer-readableinstructions, software components, software modules, data files, datastructures, and/or the like, capable of being implemented by one or morehardware devices, such as one or more of the hardware devices mentionedabove. Examples of program code include both machine code produced by acompiler and higher level program code that is executed using aninterpreter.

For example, when a hardware device is a computer processing device(e.g., a processor, Central Processing Unit (CPU), a controller, anarithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, amicrocomputer, a microprocessor, etc.), the computer processing devicemay be configured to carry out program code by performing arithmetical,logical, and input/output operations, according to the program code.Once the program code is loaded into a computer processing device, thecomputer processing device may be programmed to perform the programcode, thereby transforming the computer processing device into a specialpurpose computer processing device. In a more specific example, when theprogram code is loaded into a processor, the processor becomesprogrammed to perform the program code and operations correspondingthereto, thereby transforming the processor into a special purposeprocessor.

Software and/or data may be embodied permanently or temporarily in anytype of machine, component, physical or virtual equipment, or computerstorage medium or device, capable of providing instructions or data to,or being interpreted by, a hardware device. The software also may bedistributed over network coupled computer systems so that the softwareis stored and executed in a distributed fashion. In particular, forexample, software and data may be stored by one or more computerreadable recording mediums, including the tangible or non-transitorycomputer-readable storage media discussed herein.

Even further, any of the disclosed methods may be embodied in the formof a program or software. The program or software may be stored on anon-transitory computer readable medium and is adapted to perform anyone of the aforementioned methods when run on a computer device (adevice including a processor). Thus, the non-transitory, tangiblecomputer readable medium, is adapted to store information and is adaptedto interact with a data processing facility or computer device toexecute the program of any of the above mentioned embodiments and/or toperform the method of any of the above mentioned embodiments.

Example embodiments may be described with reference to acts and symbolicrepresentations of operations (e.g., in the form of flow charts, flowdiagrams, data flow diagrams, structure diagrams, block diagrams, etc.)that may be implemented in conjunction with units and/or devicesdiscussed in more detail below. Although discussed in a particularlymanner, a function or operation specified in a specific block may beperformed differently from the flow specified in a flowchart, flowdiagram, etc. For example, functions or operations illustrated as beingperformed serially in two consecutive blocks may actually be performedsimultaneously, or in some cases be performed in reverse order.

According to one or more example embodiments, computer processingdevices may be described as including various functional units thatperform various operations and/or functions to increase the clarity ofthe description. However, computer processing devices are not intendedto be limited to these functional units. For example, in one or moreexample embodiments, the various operations and/or functions of thefunctional units may be performed by other ones of the functional units.Further, the computer processing devices may perform the operationsand/or functions of the various functional units without sub-dividingthe operations and/or functions of the computer processing units intothese various functional units.

Units and/or devices according to one or more example embodiments mayalso include one or more storage devices. The one or more storagedevices may be tangible or non-transitory computer-readable storagemedia, such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), apermanent mass storage device (such as a disk drive), solid state (e.g.,NAND flash) device, and/or any other like data storage mechanism capableof storing and recording data. The one or more storage devices may beconfigured to store computer programs, program code, instructions, orsome combination thereof, for one or more operating systems and/or forimplementing the example embodiments described herein. The computerprograms, program code, instructions, or some combination thereof, mayalso be loaded from a separate computer readable storage medium into theone or more storage devices and/or one or more computer processingdevices using a drive mechanism. Such separate computer readable storagemedium may include a Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive, a memorystick, a Blu-ray/DVD/CD-ROM drive, a memory card, and/or other likecomputer readable storage media. The computer programs, program code,instructions, or some combination thereof, may be loaded into the one ormore storage devices and/or the one or more computer processing devicesfrom a remote data storage device via a network interface, rather thanvia a local computer readable storage medium. Additionally, the computerprograms, program code, instructions, or some combination thereof, maybe loaded into the one or more storage devices and/or the one or moreprocessors from a remote computing system that is configured to transferand/or distribute the computer programs, program code, instructions, orsome combination thereof, over a network. The remote computing systemmay transfer and/or distribute the computer programs, program code,instructions, or some combination thereof, via a wired interface, an airinterface, and/or any other like medium.

The one or more hardware devices, the one or more storage devices,and/or the computer programs, program code, instructions, or somecombination thereof, may be specially designed and constructed for thepurposes of the example embodiments, or they may be known devices thatare altered and/or modified for the purposes of example embodiments.

A hardware device, such as a computer processing device, may run anoperating system (OS) and one or more software applications that run onthe OS. The computer processing device also may access, store,manipulate, process, and create data in response to execution of thesoftware. For simplicity, one or more example embodiments may beexemplified as a computer processing device or processor; however, oneskilled in the art will appreciate that a hardware device may includemultiple processing elements or processors and multiple types ofprocessing elements or processors. For example, a hardware device mayinclude multiple processors or a processor and a controller. Inaddition, other processing configurations are possible, such as parallelprocessors.

The computer programs include processor-executable instructions that arestored on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium (memory).The computer programs may also include or rely on stored data. Thecomputer programs may encompass a basic input/output system (BIOS) thatinteracts with hardware of the special purpose computer, device driversthat interact with particular devices of the special purpose computer,one or more operating systems, user applications, background services,background applications, etc. As such, the one or more processors may beconfigured to execute the processor executable instructions.

The computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed,such as HTML (hypertext markup language) or XML (extensible markuplanguage), (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated from sourcecode by a compiler, (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter,(v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-timecompiler, etc. As examples only, source code may be written using syntaxfrom languages including C, C++, C #, Objective-C, Haskell, Go, SQL, R,Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, Javascript®, HTML5,Ada, ASP (active server pages), PHP, Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang,Ruby, Flash®, Visual Basic®, Lua, and Python®.

Further, at least one embodiment of the invention relates to thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium including electronicallyreadable control information (procesor executable instructions) storedthereon, configured in such that when the storage medium is used in acontroller of a device, at least one embodiment of the method may becarried out.

The computer readable medium or storage medium may be a built-in mediuminstalled inside a computer device main body or a removable mediumarranged so that it can be separated from the computer device main body.The term computer-readable medium, as used herein, does not encompasstransitory electrical or electromagnetic signals propagating through amedium (such as on a carrier wave); the term computer-readable medium istherefore considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examplesof the non-transitory computer-readable medium include, but are notlimited to, rewriteable non-volatile memory devices (including, forexample flash memory devices, erasable programmable read-only memorydevices, or a mask read-only memory devices); volatile memory devices(including, for example static random access memory devices or a dynamicrandom access memory devices); magnetic storage media (including, forexample an analog or digital magnetic tape or a hard disk drive); andoptical storage media (including, for example a CD, a DVD, or a Blu-rayDisc). Examples of the media with a built-in rewriteable non-volatilememory, include but are not limited to memory cards; and media with abuilt-in ROM, including but not limited to ROM cassettes; etc.Furthermore, various information regarding stored images, for example,property information, may be stored in any other form, or it may beprovided in other ways.

The term code, as used above, may include software, firmware, and/ormicrocode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, datastructures, and/or objects. Shared processor hardware encompasses asingle microprocessor that executes some or all code from multiplemodules. Group processor hardware encompasses a microprocessor that, incombination with additional microprocessors, executes some or all codefrom one or more modules. References to multiple microprocessorsencompass multiple microprocessors on discrete dies, multiplemicroprocessors on a single die, multiple cores of a singlemicroprocessor, multiple threads of a single microprocessor, or acombination of the above.

Shared memory hardware encompasses a single memory device that storessome or all code from multiple modules. Group memory hardwareencompasses a memory device that, in combination with other memorydevices, stores some or all code from one or more modules.

The term memory hardware is a subset of the term computer-readablemedium. The term computer-readable medium, as used herein, does notencompass transitory electrical or electromagnetic signals propagatingthrough a medium (such as on a carrier wave); the term computer-readablemedium is therefore considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limitingexamples of the non-transitory computer-readable medium include, but arenot limited to, rewriteable non-volatile memory devices (including, forexample flash memory devices, erasable programmable read-only memorydevices, or a mask read-only memory devices); volatile memory devices(including, for example static random access memory devices or a dynamicrandom access memory devices); magnetic storage media (including, forexample an analog or digital magnetic tape or a hard disk drive); andoptical storage media (including, for example a CD, a DVD, or a Blu-rayDisc). Examples of the media with a built-in rewriteable non-volatilememory, include but are not limited to memory cards; and media with abuilt-in ROM, including but not limited to ROM cassettes; etc.Furthermore, various information regarding stored images, for example,property information, may be stored in any other form, or it may beprovided in other ways.

The apparatuses and methods described in this application may bepartially or fully implemented by a special purpose computer created byconfiguring a general purpose computer to execute one or more particularfunctions embodied in computer programs. The functional blocks andflowchart elements described above serve as software specifications,which can be translated into the computer programs by the routine workof a skilled technician or programmer.

Although described with reference to specific examples and drawings,modifications, additions and substitutions of example embodiments may bevariously made according to the description by those of ordinary skillin the art. For example, the described techniques may be performed in anorder different with that of the methods described, and/or componentssuch as the described system, architecture, devices, circuit, and thelike, may be connected or combined to be different from theabove-described methods, or results may be appropriately achieved byother components or equivalents.

At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a system comprising:

a gantry of a computed tomography device, wherein the gantry comprises achassis and a heat store; and

a docking station,

the gantry being movable via the chassis relative to the dockingstation, and the gantry and the docking station being connectable, andin particular are connected, detachably to one another such that adetachable coolant-exchange connection for exchanging a coolant and/or acoolant reservoir and/or a detachable heat-conduction connection forheat conduction is formed between the heat store and the dockingstation.

In particular, it can be provided that the gantry comprises a firstcoolant-exchange interface, that the docking station comprises a secondcoolant-exchange interface embodied as corresponding to the firstheat-conduction interface and that the detachable coolant-exchangeconnection is formed by a connection between the first coolant-exchangeinterface and the second coolant-exchange interface. The firstcoolant-exchange interface and the second coolant-exchange interfacecan, for example, be embodied in the form of one or more quick couplingsfor the coolant exchange.

In particular, it can be provided that the gantry comprises a firstheat-conduction interface, that the docking station comprises a secondheat-conduction interface embodied as corresponding to the firstheat-conduction interface, and that the detachable heat-conductionconnection is formed by a connection between the first heat-conductioninterface and the second heat-conduction interface.

The first heat-conduction interface and the second heat-conductioninterface can, for example, be embodied in the form of one or more quickcouplings for the heat conduction and/or in the form of one or morecontact surfaces. According to one embodiment, the first heat-conductioninterface and/or the second heat-conduction interface in each casecomprise a thermally conductive pad. In particular, it can be providedthat the detachable heat-conduction connection has a thermalconductivity of at least 300 watts, for example at least 1 kilowatt, inparticular at least 3 kilowatts, in particular at least 10 kilowatts.

The quick couplings can in particular be embodied such that thecorresponding interfaces are coupled to one another on an approacheffected by the relative movement of the gantry relative to the dockingstation and/or fixed to one another by automatic locking. The quickcouplings can in particular be embodied such that the correspondinginterfaces are decoupled on a distancing effected by the relativemovement of the gantry relative to the docking station and/or areseparated from one another by the automatic cancellation of the locking.

Corresponding interfaces, for example quick couplings, can be used foran in particular bidirectional data transmission connection between thedocking station and the gantry and/or for a connection for thetransmission of electrical energy from the docking station to thegantry. The electrical energy transmitted from the docking station tothe gantry can, for example, be used to charge a rechargeable storagedevice for electrical energy for the gantry, for example a battery.

The heat store can, for example, be integrated in the gantry and/or inparticular embodied for the temporary intermediate storage of heat. Thedocking station can, for example, be permanently installed relative toan environment, wherein the gantry can be moved relative to theenvironment via the chassis. The docking station can in particular beconnected to a water grid and/or to a power grid.

One embodiment provides that the heat store is embodied as a coolantstore, wherein the docking station comprises a coolant-store region,wherein a heated coolant can be transferred from the heat store into thecoolant-store region of the docking station and/or a cooled coolant canbe transferred from the coolant-store region of the docking station intothe heat store via the detachable coolant-exchange connection.

One embodiment provides that the heat store comprises a replaceablecoolant reservoir and/or that the coolant is located in the replaceablecoolant reservoir. The coolant reservoir can, for example, comprise oneor more shut-off units, for example in the form of valves, in order inparticular to prevent or control outflow of the coolant from the coolantreservoir and/or inflow of the coolant into the coolant reservoir.

The shut-off unit of the coolant reservoir can in particular be embodiedto release and/or block a coolant flow through the shut-off unitautomatically, for example based on a control signal which is receivedby the shut-off unit. The gantry and/or the docking station can in eachcase comprise an actuating mechanism for the shut-off unit, which isembodied to actuate the shut-off unit, for example based on a controlsignal which is received by the actuating mechanism. The actuation ofthe shut-off unit via the actuating mechanism can in particular effect arelease and/or blocking of the coolant flow through the shut-off unit.Alternatively or additionally to the automatic control of the shut-offunit and/or the actuating mechanism, the shut-off unit and/or theactuating mechanism can be actuated manually by a user.

For example, it can be provided that the coolant reservoir in which theheated coolant is located is removed from the heat store and from thegantry, in particular pressed out and/or drawn out, and/or introducedinto a coolant-store region of the docking station, in particularpressed in and/or drawn in, via a coolant-reservoir-replacing apparatus.For example, it can be provided that the coolant reservoir in which thecooled coolant is located can be removed from the coolant-store regionof the docking station and from the docking station, in particularpressed out and/or drawn out, and/or introduced into the heat store, inparticular pressed in and/or drawn in, via thecoolant-reservoir-replacing apparatus.

To this end, the coolant-reservoir-replacing apparatus can, for example,comprise one or more pistons, one or more robot arms, one or moregrippers, one or more guide elements for the coolant reservoir, inparticular in the form of a shaft or a rail, or a combination thereof.It can be further provided that the gantry and the docking station canbe fixed relative to one another via a detachable connection. Forexample, a pin can be provided on the gantry and received into a recessprovided for this purpose on the docking station in positive fittingmanner. This fixing can, for example, effect an exact alignment of thegantry relative to the docking station so that, for example, a coolantreservoir can be introduced into an opening provided for this purposeand/or withdrawn from an opening provided for this purpose withoutstriking corners or edges.

In particular it can be provided that the gantry and/or the dockingstation in each case comprise a quick-change system, for example in theform of a turret system, for coolant reservoirs. In particular the heatstore can comprise a plurality of coolant reservoirs arranged, forexample, in the gantry's quick-change system.

A gantry's quick-change system can, for example, be embodied such thatit is able to position a given coolant reservoir from an active positionin which the coolant reservoir is connected to cooling lines of thegantry into a passive position in which the coolant reservoir isprovided separate from the cooling lines of the gantry and in particularfor replacement. A docking station's quick-change system can, forexample, be embodied such that it can position a given coolant reservoirfrom an active position in which the coolant reservoir is connected tocooling lines of the docking station into a passive position in whichthe coolant reservoir is provided separate from the cooling lines of thedocking station and in particular for replacement.

One embodiment provides that the heat store is embodied as a latent heatstore, wherein the docking station comprises a cooling unit, which isembodied to cool a latent-heat-storage medium in the heat store via thedetachable heat-conduction connection.

A latent heat store is able to store thermal energy in the form of athermodynamic phase transition of a latent-heat-storage medium, forexample from solid to liquid. With phase transition from the solid stateto the liquid state, thermal energy is stored by virtue of enthalpy offusion, wherein, after the complete transition of the storage mediuminto the liquid state, no further thermal energy can be stored. Thelatent-heat-storage medium then has to be returned to the solid state.This is done by cooling and by initiating crystallization.

Depending upon the material used for the latent-heat-storage medium, alatent heat store has a relatively high heat storage density in adefined temperature range. This enables a relatively high amount of heatenergy to be stored in relatively little mass without the temperature ofthe latent-heat-storage medium increasing thereby. This enablesvirtually low-loss energy storage for a long period and with numerousrepeat cycles. The latent-heat-storage medium can, for example, beorganic, in particular a paraffin, and/or inorganic, for example a salthydrate. In particular, it can be provided that the heat store comprisesa crystallization-initiating unit, which is embodied to initiatecrystallization of the latent-heat-storage medium when it is liquid andsubcooled.

One embodiment provides that the heat store is embodied as asorption-heat store, wherein the docking station comprises adesorption-energy-providing unit, wherein energy for desorption of acoolant in the heat store from a sorbent in the heat store can betransferred from the desorption-energy-providing unit of the dockingstation into the heat store via the detachable heat-conductionconnection.

With a sorption-heat store, also called a thermochemical heat store, theenthalpy of vaporization and the enthalpy of bonding are used in areversible physicochemical process. A sorption-heat store enableslow-loss thermal energy storage for a long period with numerous repeatcycles.

The sorbent used can in particular be a very porous and very hygroscopicmaterial with a very large internal surface (600-1000 m2/g). Thisenables heat storage densities of about 100-200 kWh/m3 to be achieved.The operating temperature depends on the material used for the sorbent,for example 40-100° C. in the case of silica gel, 130-300° C. in thecase of zeolite and 280-500° C. in the case of metal hydrides.

One embodiment provides that the sorbent is zeolite, silica gel, a metalhydride or a combination thereof. Zeolite is in particular nontoxic,non-flammable and environmentally compatible. The same applies to silicagels. With a zeolite-based sorption-heat store it is, for example,possible to implement a heat storage density of 107-185 kWh/m3 in adesorption temperature range of 130-180° C.

One embodiment provides that the docking station comprises a coolingunit, which is embodied to cool the coolant in the heat store that wasdesorbed from the sorbent in the heat store via the detachableheat-conduction connection. In particular, the cooling unit of thedocking station and the heat store, which is embodied as a sorption-heatstore, can interact such that they form an adsorption chiller.

One embodiment provides that the heat-conduction connection comprises aheat pipe. The transferable power depends upon the specific heat pipeproperties, in particular the capillary structure, the heat transferagent, the vapor chamber and the operating temperature. A heat pipe canbe embodied as a compact and relatively cost-efficient element with veryhigh thermal conductivity. A heat pipe can, for example, have anoperating temperature range of −40 to 275° C., a diameter of 2.5 mm, apower loss of about 20 W per cm2 infeed area and a thermal resistance of0.02 to 0.05 kW.

One embodiment provides that the gantry comprises a heat sink, which isembodied to transfer heat from the heat store to an environment of thegantry. The heat sink can in particular enable controlled heatdissipation on the surface of the gantry. Since heat transition isdependent upon the temperature difference, the surface and the flowvelocity of the cooling agent, it is favorable for the surface of theheat sink to be as large as possible. The heat sink can in particularcomprise a multiplicity of cooling fins. The heat sink can in particularrelieve the heat store in that a portion of the heat is transferred tothe environment via the heat sink instead of being stored in the heatstore. The transfer to the environment via the heat sink can inparticular take place by thermal radiation and convection. The heat sinkis preferably made of a material with relatively high thermalconductivity.

The portion of the heat that is transferred to the environment via theheat sink can be determined, in particular restricted, by the shape andmaterial of the heat sink, in order, for example, to prevent anexcessive increase in the room temperature in the examination room. Theheat sink can in particular be embodied such that the portion of theheat that is transferred to the environment via the heat sink can bevaried, for example in that the size of a surface of the heat sink ischanged. To this end, the heat sink can, for example, comprise heat-sinksections that have a fan-like arrangement and can be moved relative toone another. For example, the heat transfer by the heat sink can belimited to a lesser degree on a route to the docking station and/or in aplant room in which the docking station is located than in theexamination room in which the examination is performed via the computedtomography device.

One embodiment provides that the docking station is arranged in a regionof a patient-support apparatus of the computed tomography device. Forexample, the docking station can be integrated in the patient-supportapparatus of the computed tomography device, in particular in asupporting base of the patient-support apparatus. A patient supportplate is arranged on the supporting base so that it can be movedrelative to the supporting base. This in particular enables savings tomade with respect to space and/or material that would be required for aseparate docking station.

According to one embodiment, the docking station and the patient-supportapparatus of the computed tomography device are connected to one anothervia a data transmission connection. The data transmission connectioncan, for example, be wired or wireless. This enables data to betransmitted between the patient-support apparatus and the dockingstation, in particular transmitted bidirectionally.

According to one embodiment, the docking station and the gantry of thecomputed tomography device can be connected, in particular areconnected, detachably to one another such that a detachable datatransmission connection is formed between the gantry and the dockingstation. The detachable data transmission connection can, for example,be wired, in particular in the form of a plug connection, or wireless,in particular in the form of near-field communication. This enables datato be transmitted between the gantry and the docking station, inparticular transmitted bidirectionally.

The data can, for example, relate to the cooling of the gantry, thepower supply to the gantry, projection data acquisition and/or thepositioning of a patient, in particular the position of the patientsupport plate and/or include control commands relating to thepatient-support apparatus, the docking station and/or the gantry.

The patient-support apparatus and/or the docking station can inparticular be connected to a computer via a bidirectional datatransmission connection. The computer can in particular be embodied tocontrol the patient-support apparatus, the docking station, the gantryand/or the computed tomography device.

In particular, the patient-support apparatus can comprise input elementsto enable a user to input control commands for the docking station. Thecontrol commands can, for example, be transmitted from thepatient-support apparatus to the docking station via the datatransmission connection.

For example, the patient-support apparatus can comprise an input region,in particular in the form of a touchscreen, wherein the input region isembodied in a first operating state to enable a user to input controlcommands for the docking station and is embodied in a second operatingstate to enable a user to input control commands for the patient-supportapparatus. Alternation between the different operating states of theinput region can, for example, be effected by a corresponding userinteraction, for example in the form of a selection from a displayedcontext menu or by pressing a button.

At least one embodiment of the invention further relates to a method forcooling a component of a gantry of a computed tomography device, whereinthe method includes:

cooling the component of the gantry, wherein heat is received in a heatstore, which is integrated in the gantry,

moving the gantry via a chassis relative to a docking station,

connecting the gantry and the docking station detachably to one anothersuch that a detachable coolant-exchange connection for exchanging acoolant and/or a coolant reservoir and/or a detachable heat-conductionconnection for heat conduction is formed between the heat store and thedocking station.

The component of the gantry can in particular be aprojection-data-acquisition unit and/or comprise aprojection-data-acquisition unit. The projection-data-acquisition unitcan in particular comprise an X-ray source and an X-ray detector thatinteracts with the X-ray source. The projection-data-acquisition unitcan also comprise further components, for example a rotor, wherein theX-ray source and the X-ray detector are arranged on the rotor.

According to one embodiment, the method further includes the acquisitionof projection data via the projection-data-acquisition unit of thecomputed tomography device, wherein heat is generated by theprojection-data-acquisition unit heat. The heat can, for example, betransferred to the heat store by convection and/or by heat conductionand/or by thermal radiation from the component of the gantry. Inparticular, the heat can be transferred on a path from the component ofthe gantry to the heat store comprising one or more heat exchangers.According to one embodiment, the component of the gantry is a heatexchanger.

According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the heat stored inthe heat store is transferred to the docking station via the detachableheat-conduction connection.

The heat that was transferred to the docking station, can, for example,be fed to a cooling system, in particular a water-cooling system and/ora building-heating system. According to one embodiment, the heat thatwas transferred to the docking station can at least partially beconverted into electrical energy and, for example, be fed into anelectrical energy supply network.

For example, the gantry can be embodied such that it is possible toacquire projection data from a plurality of medical imaging examinationsthat in each case have a plurality of separate acquisition steps (scans)without the gantry being connected to the power supply with a stationaryterminal.

One embodiment provides that the heat is stored in the heat store in theform of a heated coolant, wherein the heated coolant is transferred fromthe heat store into a coolant-store region of the docking station and/orthe cooled coolant is transferred from the coolant-store region of thedocking station into the heat store via the detachable coolant-exchangeconnection.

One embodiment provides that the heat is stored in the heat store in theform of a thermodynamic phase transition of a latent-heat-storagemedium, wherein the latent-heat-storage medium in the heat store iscooled by a cooling unit of the docking station via the detachableheat-conduction connection.

One embodiment provides that the heat is received in the heat store suchthat the heat evaporates a coolant in the heat store, wherein thecoolant is adsorbed on a sorbent in the heat store, wherein energy fordesorption of the coolant from the sorption material in the heat storeis transferred from the desorption-energy-providing unit of the dockingstation into the heat store via the detachable heat-conductionconnection.

One embodiment provides that the energy for desorption of the coolantfrom the sorption material in the heat store desorbs the coolant fromthe sorption material in the heat store and/or wherein the coolantcondenses in the heat store.

One embodiment provides that the coolant in the heat store that wasdesorbed from the sorbent in the heat store is cooled by a cooling unitof the docking station via the detachable heat-conduction connection.

The gantry's chassis can in particular be omnidirectional and/orembodied to move the gantry of the computed tomography device relativeto a base. The base can, for example, be a floor of one or more rooms,in particular of an examination room, and/or a baseplate.

According to one embodiment, at least one path is defined in one or morerooms that can be used by the gantry for journeys to the docking stationor away from the docking station. The traveling motion of the gantry canin particular be controlled manually by a user, for example via atraveling-motion-control unit, or take place automatically, inparticular autonomously. Even when the actual traveling motion of thegantry takes place substantially autonomously, it can be provided thatthe traveling motion to the docking station or away from the dockingstation is started manually by a user, for example via a correspondinginput unit that can, for example, be located on the gantry, on thedocking station, on the patient-support apparatus and/or an a remotecomputer.

The system can in particular comprise sensors, which can be used forgantry collision avoidance and/or for gantry navigation. The sensors canbe arranged on the gantry and/or in the one or more rooms. It can befurther provided that the gantry stops moving and/or a sends a signalwhen its route is blocked and, for example, it is unable to reach thedocking station. In particular, the sensors can enable an automatic, inparticular autonomous, traveling motion of the gantry. In particular,the sensors can enable a relative motion of the gantry relative to thedocking station such that, when the gantry approaches the dockingstation, the corresponding interfaces can couple to one another.

Suitable sensors and/or data processing enables, for example, it to beautomatically ascertained that a gantry connected to the docking stationis again ready for mobile operations. In particular, the gantry can beembodied such that it itself is able automatically determine whether itis ready for the mobile operation and/or that it is able itselfautomatically to ascertain whether a connection with the docking stationis necessary or is still necessary. The connection with the dockingstation can, for example, be necessary if the gantry and/or theenvironment of the gantry heats up excessively and/or if the heat storeof the gantry is saturated.

Depending upon the result of the ascertainment, a signal, for example inthe form of a light signal, an audio signal and/or status information,can be generated and/or output. The signal can, for example, be outputin the region of the gantry and/or on a remote output unit that isconnected via a network and/or suitable interfaces. The output unit canin particular be a computer and/or a wearable worn by a user.

According to one embodiment, the system is embodied to carry out amethod in accordance with one or more of the embodiments disclosed.

A solution according to at least one embodiment of the invention makesit possible to prevent large amounts of waste heat resulting from theoperation of the computed tomography device, for example about 3-4kilowatts, from being discharged into the examination room and thussignificantly heating the examination room. In particular, the dockingstation can provide a cooling capacity of about 10 kilowatts, forexample. Heat convection due to air flow is avoided, thus avoidinghygiene problems in cleanroom examination rooms, in particular operatingrooms, and enabling higher hygiene standards to be maintained.

The chassis enables flexible, independent and omnidirectional motion ofthe gantry in the room. The gantry can be parked in a space-savingmanner and/or configured and/or positioned differently to enable betteraccess to the patient. The same gantry can be used in succession inseveral rooms. There is no need for complex ceiling designs and/or roomdesigns for the movable guidance of, for example, terminals and/orcables. Furthermore, there is no need for a rail system in the floor.

In particular, when using a heat store in which thermal energy can bestored with a higher energy density than in water, the space requirementfor the heat store in the gantry is relatively low.

In particular, the heat store can be embodied such that rapid cooling ofcomponents of the gantry, for example within a few minutes, is enabled.As a result, the computed tomography device can carry out a plurality ofacquisition steps (scans) rapidly in sequence, in particular without anydelay due to cool-down times for the X-ray source or other heatedcomponents of the gantry.

Furthermore, the gantry, in particular the heat store of the gantry andthe docking station, can interact to cool components of the gantry suchthat no condensed water forms on the surface of the gantry or that anycondensed water that does form on a surface of the gantry evaporates oris collected and fed to a collecting tank relatively quickly, forexample in less than 12 hours. For quicker evaporation of the condensedwater, it is in particular possible for a fan and/or a heater to beprovided. The fan and/or the heater can, for example, be arranged on thegantry and/or on the docking station and/or separate from the gantry andthe docking station in a room. As a result, it is possible to preventthe formation of a biofilm on the surface of the gantry as a nutrientmedium for bacteria that can be whirled up.

In the context of the invention, features described with respect todifferent embodiments of the invention and/or different claim categories(method, use, apparatus, system, arrangement etc.) can be combined toform further embodiments of the invention. For example, a claim relatingto an apparatus can also be developed with features described or claimedin conjunction with a method and vice versa. Herein, functional featuresof a method can be implemented by correspondingly embodied materialcomponents. In addition to the embodiments of the invention expresslydescribed in this application, numerous further embodiments of theinvention are conceivable at which the person skilled in the art canarrive without departing from the scope of the invention in so far as itis defined by the claims.

The use of the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not preclude thepossibility of the feature in question also being present on a multiplebasis. The use of the term “comprise” does not preclude the possibilityof the terms being linked by the term “comprise” being identical. Forexample, the gantry comprises the gantry. The use of the term “unit”does not preclude the possibility of the subject matter to which theterm “unit” relates comprising a plurality of components that arespatially separated from one another.

FIG. 1 shows a system 1 with a heat store W embodied as a coolant storeand a detachable coolant-exchange connection VK between the gantry 20and the docking station D.

The system 1 comprises the gantry 20 of the computed tomography device 2and the docking station D. The gantry 20 comprises the chassis F and theheat store W. The gantry 20 can be moved via the chassis F relative tothe docking station D and relative to the floor N.

The gantry 20 and the docking station D can be connected, in particularare connected, detachably to one another such that a detachablecoolant-exchange connection VK for exchanging a coolant KT, KH is formedbetween the heat store W and the docking station D. The docking stationD comprises a coolant-store region DK. A heated coolant KH can betransferred from the heat store W into the coolant-store region DK ofthe docking station D via the detachable coolant-exchange connection VK.A cooled coolant KT is transferred from the coolant-store region DK ofthe docking station D into the heat store W via the detachablecoolant-exchange connection VK.

The heat is stored in the heat store W in the form of a heated coolantKH. The heated coolant KH is pumped from the heat store W and into thecoolant-store region DK, in particular into the coolant-storagereservoir DK1 via the detachable coolant-exchange connection VK. Then,the coolant KT cooled in the docking station D is pumped out of thecoolant-store region DK, in particular out of the coolant-storagereservoir DK2, into the empty heat store W.

The gantry 20 can then be detached from the docking station 20 and, forexample, acquire projection data. Meanwhile, the previously heatedcoolant KH is cooled in the docking station D. When the previouslycooled coolant KT has been heated up again in the heat store W, thegantry 20 returns to the docking station D in order to form thedetachable coolant-exchange connection VK and to exchange the coolantKT, KH via the detachable coolant-exchange connection VK. This operatingcycle can be repeated many times.

FIG. 2 shows a system 1 with a heat store W, which is embodied as acoolant store, a detachable coolant-exchange connection VK between thegantry 20 and the docking station D and a heat sink B. The gantry 20comprises the heat sink B, which is embodied to transfer heat from theheat store W to an environment of the gantry 20.

FIG. 3 shows a system 1 with a heat store W, which is embodied as acoolant store, a detachable coolant-exchange connection VK between thegantry 20 and the docking station D for exchanging a coolant KT, KH anda coolant reservoir ET, EH.

The coolant reservoir EH in which the heated coolant KH is located isseparated from the heat store W and from the gantry 20 and received inthe coolant-store region DK of the docking station D. The coolantreservoir ET in which the cooled coolant KT is located is separated fromthe coolant-store region DK and from the docking station D and receivedin the heat store W.

FIG. 4 shows a system 1 with a heat store W embodied as a latent heatstore and a detachable heat-conduction connection VR. Thelatent-heat-storage medium KL is located in a capsule in the heat storeW. The docking station D comprises a cooling unit DT, which is embodiedto cool a latent-heat-storage medium KL in the heat store W via thedetachable heat-conduction connection VR. The heat in the heat store Wis stored in the form of a thermodynamic phase transition of alatent-heat-storage medium KL in the heat store W. The cooling unit DTof the docking station D cools, in particular subcools, thelatent-heat-storage medium KL in the heat store W via the detachableheat-conduction connection VR. Triggering the crystallization of thelatent-heat-storage medium KL enables the thermodynamic phase transitionto be undone so that heat can be stored again in the form of thethermodynamic phase transition of a latent-heat-storage medium KL in theheat store W. The cooling unit DT of the docking station D can, forexample, be embodied for active cooling and/or for passive cooling. Inparticular, the cooling unit DT can comprise cooling fins for passivecooling which are embodied on a surface of the docking station D.

FIG. 5 shows a system 1 with a heat store W embodied as a sorption-heatstore and a detachable heat-conduction connection VR. The dockingstation D comprises a desorption-energy-providing unit DH, whereinenergy for desorption of a coolant KS in the heat store W from a sorbentS in the heat store W can be transferred from thedesorption-energy-providing unit DH of the docking station D into theheat store W via the detachable heat-conduction connection VR.

The docking station D comprises a cooling unit DT, which is embodied tocool the coolant KS in the heat store W that was desorbed from thesorbent S in the heat store W, via the detachable heat-conductionconnection VR. The sorbent S is for example zeolite. The coolant KS isfor example water.

The heat is received into the heat store W such that the heat evaporatesa coolant KS in the heat store W. The coolant KS is adsorbed on thesorbent S in the heat store W. The energy for desorption of the coolantKS from the sorption material S in the heat store W is transferred fromthe desorption-energy-providing unit DH of the docking station D intothe heat store W via the detachable heat-conduction connection VR. Theenergy for desorption of the coolant KS from the sorption material S inthe heat store W desorbs the coolant KS from the sorption material S inthe heat store. The coolant KS is then condensed in the heat store W.

The coolant KS in the heat store W that was desorbed from the sorbent Sin the heat store W is cooled by a cooling unit DT of the dockingstation D via the detachable heat-conduction connection VR. Hence, thedetachable heat-conduction connection VR includes a plurality of paths.

A first path of the heat-conduction connection VR transfers energy fordesorption of the coolant KS from the sorption material S in the heatstore W from the desorption-energy-providing unit DH of the dockingstation D into the heat store W, in particular onto the sorptionmaterial S. A second path of the heat-conduction connection VR cools thecoolant KS in the heat store W that was desorbed from the sorbent S inthe heat store W by a cooling unit DT of the docking station D, inparticular to assist the condensation of the coolant KS. The receptionof heat into the heat store W enables the previously condensed coolantKS to be evaporated again and adsorbed on the sorbent S. This operatingcycle can be repeated many times.

In particular, it can be provided that the heat store W comprises tworegions which in each case comprise a partial quantity of the sorptionmaterial S and a partial quantity of the coolant KS. If the coolant KSis alternatively evaporated and adsorbed in a region of the heat storeW, while the coolant KS is desorbed and condensed in the other region ofthe heat store W, the gantry 20 can be cooled continuously.

In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 5, thedesorption-energy-providing unit DH is integrated in the docking stationD in the form of heating elements and provides thermal energy fordesorption of the coolant KS in the heat store W from the sorbent S inthe heat store W. Alternatively thereto, the desorption-energy-providingunit DH can be a source of electrical energy, wherein the electricalenergy is transferred to the gantry 20 via a detachable electricalconnection. The gantry 20 can, for example, comprise heating elements inthe region of the sorbent S in the heat store W in which the electricalenergy is converted into thermal energy for desorption of the coolant KSin the heat store W from the sorbent S in the heat store W.

The gantry 20 can, for example, comprise cooling elements in the regionof the heat store W in order to assist the condensation of the coolantKS. The cooling elements can in particular be operated with electricalenergy which is provided by the docking station D and transferred to thegantry 20 via a detachable electrical connection.

FIG. 6 shows a system 1 with a heat store W and a heat sink B, whereinthe gantry 20 and the docking station D are not connected via adetachable coolant-exchange connection and also not connected via adetachable heat-conduction connection. In particular, the heat sink Band the heat store W can interact such that the regeneration of the heatstore W is substantially effected by the transmission of the heat fromthe heat store W to an environment of the gantry 20 via the heat sink B.

FIG. 7 shows a sequence diagram of a method for cooling a component A ofa gantry 20 of a computed tomography device 2, wherein the methodincludes the following steps:

cooling CG the component A of the gantry 20, wherein heat is received ina heat store W which is integrated in the gantry 20,

moving MG the gantry 20 via a chassis F relative to a docking station D,

connecting DG the gantry 20 and the docking station D detachably to oneanother such that a detachable coolant-exchange connection VK forexchanging a coolant KT, KH in the heat store W and/or a detachableheat-conduction connection VR is formed between the heat store W and thedocking station D.

FIG. 8 shows a system 1 with a plurality of docking stations D1 and D2,which are arranged in different rooms OR1 and OR2, which can for examplebe operating rooms. The patient-support apparatus 101 is located in OR1.The patient-support apparatus 102 is located in room OR2. Rooms OR1 andOR2 are connected via a corridor C. The dashed lines identify paths onwhich the gantry 20 can travel to the docking stations D1 and D2.

The gantry 20 is detachably connected to each of the docking stations D1and D2 such that a detachable coolant-exchange connection VK forexchanging a coolant KT, KH and/or a detachable heat-conductionconnection VR for heat conduction is formed between the heat store W andthe docking station D1 or D2. Thus it is possible to regenerate the heatstore W in each of the rooms OR1 and OR2 using the corresponding dockingstation D1 or D2.

FIG. 9 shows a system 1 with a plurality of docking stations, which arearranged in different rooms OR1 and OR2, wherein the docking station D1is arranged in a region of the patient-support apparatus 101 of thecomputed tomography device 2, in particular integrated in thepatient-support apparatus 101.

FIG. 10 shows a system 1 with a docking station D, which is arranged ina docking-station room DR, which is located between the two rooms OR1and OR2. In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the docking-stationroom DR can be reached directly from each of the two rooms OR1 and OR2,in particular without a detour via the corridor C.

FIG. 11 shows a system 1 with a docking station D, which is arranged ina docking-station room DR embodied as a separate plant room that canonly be reached via the corridor C. In particular, the gantry 20 cantravel to the docking-station room DR as soon as the reserves ofelectrical energy run low and/or the heat store W is saturated. When theregeneration of the heat store W and/or charging of a rechargeableelectrical energy store of the gantry 20 is completed, the gantry 20 cantravel autonomously into one of the rooms OR1 and OR2. The navigation ofthe gantry 20 between the docking-station room DR and the rooms OR1 andOR2 can in particular be implemented in advance, for example based ondefined paths and substantially autonomously by the gantry 20.

The patent claims of the application are formulation proposals withoutprejudice for obtaining more extensive patent protection. The applicantreserves the right to claim even further combinations of featurespreviously disclosed only in the description and/or drawings.

References back that are used in dependent claims indicate the furtherembodiment of the subject matter of the main claim by way of thefeatures of the respective dependent claim; they should not beunderstood as dispensing with obtaining independent protection of thesubject matter for the combinations of features in the referred-backdependent claims. Furthermore, with regard to interpreting the claims,where a feature is concretized in more specific detail in a subordinateclaim, it should be assumed that such a restriction is not present inthe respective preceding claims.

Since the subject matter of the dependent claims in relation to theprior art on the priority date may form separate and independentinventions, the applicant reserves the right to make them the subjectmatter of independent claims or divisional declarations. They mayfurthermore also contain independent inventions which have aconfiguration that is independent of the subject matters of thepreceding dependent claims.

None of the elements recited in the claims are intended to be ameans-plus-function element within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f)unless an element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or,in the case of a method claim, using the phrases “operation for” or“step for.”

Example embodiments being thus described, it will be obvious that thesame may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regardedas a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, andall such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art areintended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: a gantry of a computedtomography device, the gantry including a chassis and a heat store; anda docking station, the gantry being movable, via the chassis, relativeto the docking station, and the gantry and the docking station beingdetachably connectable such that a detachable heat-conduction connectionfor heat conduction is formed between the heat store and the dockingstation, the detachable heat-conduction connection including a heatpipe.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat store is a latent heatstore, and wherein the docking station includes a cooling unitconfigured to cool a latent-heat-storage medium in the heat store viathe detachable heat-conduction connection.
 3. The system of claim 2,wherein the gantry includes a heat sink configured to transfer heat fromthe heat store to an environment of the gantry.
 4. The system of claim2, wherein the docking station is in a region of a patient-supportapparatus of the computed tomography device.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein the heat store is a sorption-heat store, wherein the dockingstation includes a desorption-energy-providing unit, and wherein energyfor desorption of a coolant in the heat store from a sorbent in the heatstore is transferrable from the desorption-energy-providing unit of thedocking station into the heat store via the detachable heat-conductionconnection.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the gantry includes a heatsink configured to transfer heat from the heat store to an environmentof the gantry.
 7. The system of claim 5, wherein the docking station isin a region of a patient-support apparatus of the computed tomographydevice.
 8. The system of claim 5, wherein the docking station includes acooling unit configured to cool the coolant in the heat store, that wasdesorbed from the sorbent in the heat store via the detachableheat-conduction connection.
 9. The system of claim 5, wherein thesorbent is zeolite.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the gantryincludes a heat sink configured to transfer heat from the heat store toan environment of the gantry.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein thedocking station is in a region of a patient-support apparatus of thecomputed tomography device.
 12. A method for cooling a component of agantry of a computed tomography device, the method comprising: coolingthe component of the gantry, wherein heat is received in a heat storeintegrated in the gantry; moving the gantry, via a chassis, relative toa docking station; and connecting the gantry and the docking stationsuch that a detachable heat-conduction connection for heat is formedbetween the heat store and the docking station, the detachableheat-conduction connection including a heat pipe.
 13. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the heat is stored in the heat store as athermodynamic phase transition of a latent-heat-storage medium in theheat store, and wherein the method includes cooling thelatent-heat-storage medium in the heat store by a cooling unit of thedocking station via the detachable heat-conduction connection.
 14. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the heat is received in the heat store suchthat the heat evaporates a coolant in the heat store, wherein thecoolant is adsorbed on a sorbent in the heat store, and wherein themethod includes transferring energy for desorption of the coolant from asorption material in the heat store from a desorption-energy-providingunit of the docking station into the heat store via the detachableheat-conduction connection.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein at leastone of the energy for desorption of the coolant from the sorptionmaterial in the heat store desorbs the coolant from the sorptionmaterial in the heat store, or the coolant condenses in the heat store.16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: cooling the coolantdesorbed from the sorbent in the heat store by a cooling unit of thedocking station via the detachable heat-conduction connection.
 17. Thesystem of claim 8, wherein the sorbent is zeolite.
 18. A system,comprising: a gantry of a computed tomography device, the gantryincluding a chassis and a heat store, the heat store being a latent heatstore; and a docking station, the gantry being movable, via the chassis,relative to the docking station, and the gantry and the docking stationbeing detachably connectable such that a detachable heat-conductionconnection for heat conduction is formed between the heat store and thedocking station, wherein the docking station includes a cooling unitconfigured to cool a latent-heat-storage medium in the heat store viathe detachable heat-conduction connection.
 19. A system, comprising: agantry of a computed tomography device, the gantry including a chassisand a heat store, the heat store being a sorption-heat store; and adocking station including a desorption-energy-providing unit, the gantrybeing movable, via the chassis, relative to the docking station, and thegantry and the docking station being detachably connectable such that adetachable heat-conduction connection for heat conduction is formedbetween the heat store and the docking station, wherein energy fordesorption of a coolant in the heat store from a sorbent in the heatstore is transferrable from the desorption-energy-providing unit of thedocking station into the heat store via the detachable heat-conductionconnection.